This is despite progress made by countries and voluntary organisations in eradicating malaria epidemic.

Officiating at the World Malaria Commemoration Day in Seronga, the senior district officer for development for Okavango, Mr Letlhogonolo Nkolane said Okavango contributed more than 50 per cent of the reported malaria cases in the country.

He said in 2013, there were 456 reported cases countrywide and 192 of these were from Okavango, while in 2014, of the reported 1 341 cases, Okavango was responsible for 888 cases and seven of the 22 deaths reported.

Mr Nkolane said this transmission season from April 2015 to date, 191 cases and six deaths had been reported countrywide and the area contributed 91 cases and no deaths.

He said this clearly showed that Okavango was the most affected district. Furthermore, Mr Nkolane urged all stakeholders in the area to work together in order to achieve the goal of eliminating malaria by 2018, as government alone could not manage.

Speaking about the theme ‘Invest in the future, defeat Malaria,’ he said it recognised collective aspirations towards eliminating malaria and its effects on society.

He said recognizing malaria symptoms and seeking medical attention immediately is the more critical step that the community should take to aid the malaria elimination campaign.

Mr Nkolane requested the community to allow the spraying teams to spray their houses during the campaign, sleep under treated mosquito nets and immediately seek medical attention on the onset of the signs and symptoms.

“The whole idea is that when you prevent malaria in your family, you prevent the spread in the community and subsequently in the country and we will then have a malaria free country,” he said.

Furthermore, he urged the community of Okavango to work in partnership with the health sector, by actively participating in malaria prevention activities.

The country National Malaria programme Manager, Ms Tjantilili Mosweunyane aised the residents to collaborate with health workers to commemorate the day instead of waiting for government to organize the event.